Former Test bowler Geoff Lawson has pulled a selection shock in leaving Travis Head out of his ideal Australian XI for the first Ashes Test.
The rookie left-hand batsman was the country’s second best performer – behind Pat Cummins – across a summer that included a 2-1 series loss to India, and a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka.
But he can’t squeeze into the team Lawson named on Bill & Boz on Tuesday night for the first Ashes match, to be played at Edgbaston on August 1.
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Lawson has picked Matthew Wade to bat No.1, and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis to make his debut at No.6 in a revamped Aussie line-up.
Lawson has also omitted embattled No.3 Usman Khawaja in favour of Kurtis Patterson.
“(Khawaja is) not in my starting team … his career is almost saved, his immediate career, by his hundred in the second innings in Canberra,” Lawson said.
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“He came into the summer as our banker, and yet he had a terrible five and a half Tests and then made his hundred in the second innings in Canberra against a not-red-hot Sri Lanka attack.
“He would be in my touring squad for sure because we know he’s capable.”
A host of other Fox Cricket experts have also given their Ashes touring squads to The Daily Telegraph.
There’s plenty of shocks among the group.
Geoff Lawson’s Ashes XI
David Warner, Joe Burns, Kurtis Patterson, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Tim Paine (c), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon
Lawson’s 2019 AUS Ashes squad
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EXPERTS’ SQUADS
Michael Vaughan
Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Tim Paine (c), Peter Handscomb, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Daniel Worrall, Jon Holland
Brendon Julian
David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine (c), Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Daniel Worrall, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Renshaw, Lloyd Pope
Michael Hussey
David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine (c), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jhye Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Chris Tremain, Jon Holland, Alex Carey
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Ian Healy
Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Kurtis Patterson, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Chris Tremain, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Tim Paine (c), Alex Carey
Kerry O’Keeffe
David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Daniel Worrall/Michael Neser
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